Smile because the Sharks don’t face any Kiwi teams in 2017! Cry because the same idiotic Super Rugby format has been retained. That about sums it up for us, I reckon, as we peruse the 2017 fixture list sent out by SANZAAR this morning. I think we missed International Talk Like a Pirate Day, but what the hell….
Friday 24 February is the day to circle in red on your calendar, with the Sharks getting their (mercifully short) Australian tour out of the way early in the season. They’ll play the Reds and then the Brumbies back to back, before heading back to South Africa for a home (or at least in-country) run that sees them through to April, when they pop over to Argentina to play los Jaguares. Another quick trip to Singapore (a first) in May to play the Sunwolves is the last of their travel obligations; all-in-all, a pretty kind draw.
As a reminder of the format, the Sharks play home and away against the other teams in their conference; the Lions, Kings and Jaguares. A single round against other African teams means home fixtures against the Bulls and Stormers (niiiiiice!) and away clashes with the Cheetahs and Sunwolves. They’ll play all five Australian teams; in addition to the away games at the start of the campaign, there arae home fixtures against the Force, Rebels and Waratahs.
Damn nice draw, actually. Could hardly ask for a better one.
Sharks fixtures:
24 Feb Reds away
4 Mar Brumbies away
10 Mar Waratahs home
18 Mar Kings home
25 Mar Cheetahs away
1 Apr Lions away
8 Apr Jaguares home
BYE
22 Apr Rebels home
29 Apr Jaguares away
6 May Force home
13 May Kings away
20 May Sunwolves away
27 May Stormers home
INTERNATIONAL BREAK
1 Jul Bulls home
BYE
15 July Lions home
KNOCKOUTS
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The draw is great until you hit the semi’s and have to play NZ teams…..just ask the Stormers!
Well after the absolute horse manure of a draw we got this year, anything would be a plus. Love this draw
@Pokkel (Comment 1) : And normally by then our team is falling apart. Anyway.. At least this time the draw cannot be an excuse… Pitty we dont have enough international level players left in this country.. Yes I’m a bit negative… Lets see if my team can change it next year
Ja let’s hope Sharks can use this draw to get close to a top spot to ensure possible home playoff games!!!
Stupid format but we could win at least 10/15 with that schedule!
@Pokkel (Comment 1) : If we can finish top of the log, we will most likely play a NZ at home in the semi’s/final. We are mostly good against NZ sides, better than other SA teams!
@Die Kriek (Comment 2) : for sure a lot better than this year!!! Now Sharks must just use it and not do the same as Stormers and Bulls did this year!!!
@JD (Comment 6) : Hopefully proper player management comes into play for a change and guys like Pat, Stephan, Cobus, Andre, Curwin does not get over played and hopefully we cna have a full team in the playoffs for a turn
only decent home game is Warratahs,we also get Rebels and Jaguars other wise all rest Currie Cup games,shithome schedule definitely not worthy of a season ticket.
@Kabouter (Comment 7) : Sharks dont have amazing depth so a couple injuries could lead to guys playing week in week out. Guys like Etienne Oosthuizen and Andre Esterhuizen have basically played every sharks game this year including the preseason ones
@The hound (Comment 8) : Sorry whhoooppeee we also get the Force,how pathetic is that.
@The hound (Comment 8) : Wonder who/if the test will be against in Durban next year
@SheldonK (Comment 9) : unfortunately too true unless serious additions / upskilling happens.
areas that concerns me for rotation / player management
3 – Dont say Coenie can be rotated with Lourens
4
6
9
12
13
Far too many positions there… I am thinking of where we have actual SR level quality available
@SheldonK (Comment 11) : Not going to br good we got the big one this year,probably get the Argies for the third time in the season.
@SheldonK (Comment 11) : KP and Ellis Park to swap Rugby Champs and incoming again? I think Loftus and Newlands to also swap
@Kabouter (Comment 12) : Are we still feeding Coenie
@The hound (Comment 13) : @Kabouter (Comment 14) : Yeh i also feel it will be an incoming tour. With the Lions tour next year i guess it will be someone like Italy touring then
@Kabouter (Comment 12) : The only thing Coenie rotates is the spit braai. But yeh i think we good for a starting 23 but couple injuries etc could lead to issues
@SheldonK (Comment 16) : a few years ago we had a 4 team tourney which resulted in double header games. Maybe Italy, Samoa and Japan / USA to mix things up a bit.
@SheldonK (Comment 17) : @SheldonK (Comment 16) : big name signing bringing nothing to the table on the field. How about we send him back for Ox and Small Smith?
@SheldonK (Comment 17) : You are so wrong there ,he hasn’t got the patience for it to rotate as long as its scorched on one side its ready.
@The hound (Comment 20) : i didnt say he would rotate it constantly, just once haha
@Kabouter (Comment 18) : I wouldnt mind seeing the Japs in town to be honest, rather them than Italy
@Kabouter (Comment 19) : Wasted talent,I first saw him asa 125 kg schoolboy and he was the new Os du Randt but better,failed to live up to the hype and probably believed his own P.R.
Still a crap draw in my opinion. The only light point is starting the Aus tour right at the start.
Coming back to face the Waratahs immediately aftet the Tour sucks.
@JarsonX (Comment 25) : with a short turnaround too
And then 1 game after the June break and then a bye sucks as well.
Jip
A draw made in heaven in a competition made in a loony bin.
@JarsonX (Comment 25) : @robdylan (Comment 26) : yes its bad but at least it’s at the beginning of the tournament. Going to play Jaguars and Sunwolves and returning to play in SA next weekend makes it three times that it happens.
I hope we trash the Tahs at home, I don’t like them, for reasons… 😈
@Kabouter (Comment 18) : I don’t know where this guy gets his info from but according to this it’s France
http://www.therugbyforum.com/threads/27980-Future-June-tour-schedules
@andredewaal (Comment 32) : Would be cool if correct.
Hey Rob, any chance you can get an interview with Gary Gold about what he has been up to since the end of Super rugby and going into 2017 now that fixtures are out…
@SheldonK (Comment 34) : I will try
@robdylan (Comment 35) : Would be interesting to hear, thanks
@Pokkel (Comment 1) : yea im worried about this for the Lions as well .. eish
For a change…JAAARSANZ my Bru. …
@SheldonK (Comment 34) : More importantly if he will resume as coach.
@Kabouter (Comment 19) :
Luckily both have been signed until at least 2018, in Ox’s case anyway. Know WSS is signed till end 2017.
I cannie complain about the Cheetahs fixtures either:
25 Feb Lions (Home)
4 Mar Bulls (Home)
11 Mar Sunwolves (Home)
18 Mar Jaguars (Away)
25 Mar Sharks (Home)
1 Apr Stormers (Away)
Bye
15 Apr Chiefs (Home)
22 Apr Bulls (Away)
29 Apr Crusaders (Home)
5 May Highlanders (Home)
12 May Blues (Away)
20 May Hurricanes (Away)
27 May Sunwolves (Away)
INTERNATIONAL BREAK
1 Jul Stormers (Home)
Bye
15 July Kings (Home)
KNOCKOUTS
@KingCheetah (Comment 41) : ja not bad. Nice to end the NZ tour with the international break.
cant believe all the whining on Stormers24 about the schedules the Stormers and Bulls face??? jeez these guys are getting worse by the day and has become a waste of time spent there…
@KingCheetah (Comment 41) : Would love the Cheetahs to end top Africa 1
@Kabouter (Comment 43) : Thanks. I don’t think we have quite the depth to achieve that. I will be happy to see the Cheetahs continue to maintain their current commitment on defence, whilst still playing the brand of rugby. If they can do that and retain their players it will be a major step in the right direction.
@Kabouter (Comment 43) : Well one didnt even make the play offs the other got an absolute hiding back to reality so no wonder they crying, all the NZ big boys eish and for once the rugby press will not be able to declare the Stormers SR champs before start as hey look who thry have to play, whst jokers
@benji (Comment 45) : has that ever stopped them!!! Press will never let the fact ruin a WP/Stormers fairytale!!!
Found this and thought it interesting. http://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/new-zealand-fought-lonely-fight-to-change-super-rugby-format/ar-BBwwiFF?li=AA59Kv&ocid=spartandhp
@Southern_Shark (Comment 47) : bit of an unholy alliance, this SANZAAR thing
@robdylan (Comment 48) : Unfortunately as with most things, it started out as a great idea but overtime the core values changed and well here we are
@SheldonK (Comment 49) : @robdylan (Comment 48) : I have to agree with the kiwis here. This is professional sport. You shouldn’t get a gold star for participation! 👿
@Southern_Shark (Comment 50) : 100%
@Southern_Shark (Comment 47) : @robdylan (Comment 48) : @SheldonK (Comment 49) : @Southern_Shark (Comment 50) : Headline is awfully misleading though. NZ proposed to have the playoffs changed (they definitely didn’t ‘fight’ to have the SR format altered). Should they have succeeded it would have meant they get the possibility to cash in on even more home playoff games so I don’t necessarily think that their intentions were especially honourable either. Nice bit of PR for New Zealand though.
@vanmartin (Comment 52) : yeah I must say when reading that article and where they were citing travel difficulties, the image of a tiny violin came to mind.
@vanmartin (Comment 52) : Yes I can see they are trying to come across as the heroes fighting for the fans although they are just looking after their own. That doesn’t make it less unfair. And if you look at it you couldn’t just change the play-off structure, you’d have to change the whole thing. As self-serving as their intentions were, it could have helped everyone. At least they tried. 😕
@Southern_Shark (Comment 54) : SANZAAR give them an trophy or something.. 😐
@Southern_Shark (Comment 55) : …you know, for trying, nevermind winning… 😉
@Southern_Shark (Comment 56) : Give them a Bells for trying 🙂
Rob, 2 emoji we need: “Cheers!” and “Face-plant”